Abandoned
by Syncop8ed Rhythm
Summary: There were two cases, one the SBPD knew about, another that Shawn was keeping quiet. He thought it would get easier, after solving the first case, but he wasn't expecting the police department to turn its back on him, especially when he went missing.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Psych or any of its characters.

AN: I'm back! I haven't written out the whole story yet, but I do have a good chunk of it done and wanted to share it with you all. I am going to put this as a response to the "He's Got a Temper..." challenge that I found on Psychfic, but I'm still not sure if I made Shawn angry enough. Either way, there were two responses to this challenge, by maniacgirl007 and WhiteKingdomAngel, who might have put those stories up on Fanfic, I'm not sure. If you haven't read those, you should...right after reading this chapter and leaving a review :)

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Shawn ran his hand through his hair, beyond frustrated. He looked at the marker board, looked at the file, looked back at the marker board. Retired Officer Jon Higgs had been killed one week ago, and the killer hadn't been caught yet. _Shawn _hadn't caught the killer yet. His gaze snagged on his desk drawer-his_ locked_ desk drawer. Not even Gus knew what was in there.

Shawn sighed as he leaned back against the desk, looking at the board. It wasn't easy to try and solve a murder case when he kept getting threatening letters related to another case. He shook his head to clear it and returned to the Higgs case. He hadn't known the officer very well. He had joined the SBPD a few years before Henry had retired and had left the force himself a few years after Shawn had started consulting, but that didn't matter to Shawn. The man's death had hit the department hard. He knew Lassiter and Jules, heck, the whole department, had practically run themselves ragged searching for the killer.

Shawn tapped the marker against his mouth, cursing himself silently when his mind pulled him back to the drawer. Usually, threats didn't bother him. They were just empty words.

These were different.

Sue Melvins had come to Shawn a year ago. She needed help hiding herself and her two children from her abusive ex-husband, Christopher Drake. Shawn couldn't refuse. He'd caught Drake violating the restraining order Sue had filled, sending him straight to jail. He then pointed Sue in the direction of a small town in Montana he'd run into on his travels. The small community was perfect to help the family heal. Shawn had even called the Sheriff, with whom he had become a good friend, to ask him to look after the three.

The notes had started coming a few weeks ago, and Shawn hadn't taken them seriously. But the letters had started coming more frequently, had become more…specific. Shawn sent some of the notes to an independent lab to see if there were any prints or DNA that could be traced, since he was hesitant to take the notes to the SBPD until he knew something more. He was surprised when the lab discovered a few sets of prints.

He had been getting the notes ready to turn in to Lassiter-he'd even begun planning a vision-when Officer Higgs had been shot. Instead, Shawn ran the prints at the station quietly, even more hesitant to tell anyone about his troubles in light of the murder. Shawn's worries could wait. Officer Higgs' family and friends could not.

Shawn's first instinct was that the murder was related to one of Higgs' past cases, but so far he hadn't found anything.

"Shawn! I brought food!" Gus came into the office, dropping a bag on his desk and sitting in his chair. Shawn didn't turn.

"Shawn, you need to eat."

"I will, Buddy," Shawn replied absently.

"Shawn…"

Ooh, he was using his You-Better-Take-Me-Seriously Voice. Shawn looked over at Gus, a smile teasing the corners of his lips as he saw Gus waving his hands over the food, trying to get the smell to waft towards Shawn.

"Eat, and then get back to the case."

Shawn rolled his eyes before grabbing his food from Gus. He sat down, chewing slowly as he continued to look at the board. One of the pictures had a set of tire marks that came from a motorcycle. That could have related to one of Higgs' old cases, an armed robbery that he had responded to. The two robbers were the head of the Fuego Diablos, which had been a motorcycle gang. When one of the robbers, an Eric Roberts, pointed his gun at his partner, Higgs had had no choice. He'd shot the man.

Shawn hadn't looked into that angle yet, since the police had. Apparently, the gang had split up after one of their leaders had been killed and the other one jailed. Shawn's head tilted as he thought of something. He looked through his file, then moved to his computer. Gus noticed and moved to stand behind him.

"Shawn, why are you on MySpace?" Gus leaned over his shoulder and Shawn smirked up at him.

"I have a lead." He typed in a name, "Meet Dan Roberts, son of Eric Roberts who was the man killed during an armed robbery."

"Yeah, I remember you telling me about that case. But what are you looking for?"

"Proof," Shawn replied, clicking through the pictures. Dan's page didn't have the pictures he was hoping to find, but Shawn started clicking on Dan's friends and going through their photos. "Ah-hah!"

"Is that-?"

"_That _is Dan's motorcycle-which has the exact same tire tread that was found at the crime scene!" He paused for a moment. "Dude, I just solved a case using MySpace!"

Gus responded with his signature "Whaaat?"

Shawn pulled the papers from the printer and hopped up. "Come on! Let's go to the station!"

The SBPD needed this-Jules, Lassiter, and the chief really needed this. He was so relieved it was making him almost giddy. He bounded up the steps of the police department, a huge smile gracing his lips as he entered. His gaze fell on Jules, who had a stack of files in her hands and was running from one desk to the next. He winced inwardly when he saw the shadows under her eyes and the frown pulling at her mouth.

"Jules! I have fantastic news!"

She paused in her movements and looked at Shawn. "Shawn! Make it quick, okay? I've got to get these files handed out and go back to the scene."

She was a bit short with him, but Shawn could work with that.

"Sure thing." He couldn't wait to take this worry from her and was hoping to get her to laugh.

"First, did you notice the new café across the street? It literally specializes in pineapple smoothies."

"You've got that right," Gus said, Shawn's enthusiasm making him smile.

Juliet looked at Shawn like he had grown an extra head. "I can't believe you, Shawn." Her voice was low and deceptively calm. "An officer was killed, we're running around trying to find his murderer, and you come in here to tell me about pineapple smoothies?"

Shawn quickly realized he shouldn't have said something so flippant. "Jules, I-"

"No, Shawn. We're trying to work. Please leave, you'll just be getting in the way."

"Hold on, Jules!"

"Spencer, you heard O'Hara. Get out." Lassiter stood from his desk and crossed his arms.

Shawn noticed for the first time that the station was growing quieter by the second.

"Gentlemen? What's going on?"

"Spencer was just going to leave."

"No, I wasn't!" All traces of humor had fled Shawn's face, the relief he had been reveling in just a few minutes before long since faded.

The chief's eyes scanned the station before turning back to Shawn. "I'm sorry Mr. Spencer, but I'm going to have to ask you to leave. You are disrupting the investigation."

"You heard the chief," Lassiter grabbed Shawn's arm and attempted to pull Shawn away.

"No! Chief, you hired me for this investigation!"

Lassiter snorted, "You think we need your help on this case? We don't. You're just going to be an annoyance to everyone. Officer Higgs and his family deserve to have this case handled seriously, and you'll do nothing but make a farce of this investigation."

Shawn looked at the three of them, dumbfounded. He knew they had been under a lot of stress lately. He could understand if they said something in frustration that they didn't mean, but they were serious. He considered these three friends and it hurt much more than he cared to admit, that they thought he was useless.

He took a deep breath, willing to let the comments slide off his back, and once more tried to speak. "Look, Officer Higgs was one of us and deserves-"

"One of us?" Lassiter crossed his arms. "Yes, he was. But you're delusional if you think you can include yourself in that group. You're not one of us."

Shawn took a step back, stunned. The chief was already walking back to her office when he saw Juliet look between Shawn and Lassiter before turning her back on Shawn and taking a step away. Shawn felt another knife slide into his back.

This wasn't fair. Shawn had been doing _everything _he could to find this killer. How…how could they…?

Gus put a hand on his shoulder and he realized for the first time that he was clenching his hands so tightly that they hurt.

Shawn's gaze narrowed and he leaned towards Lassiter. "Tell me something, _Detective,_" he spat out. "Have you figured out who the murderer is yet?"

"Shawn," Gus started, but Shawn interrupted him, "No, Gus. Let the _Detective _answer the question!" He wasn't yelling, but there was no mistaking the anger, frustration, and hurt that mixed in his voice.

Both Juliet and the chief spun back around, stunned to see Shawn's green eyes glittering with anger, fists clenched. Lassiter blinked, surprised at the intensity of Shawn's expression. Shawn saw Buzz take a step forward, concern etched across his face. Shawn put his hand up, warning Buzz to stop. He didn't need to get in the middle of this.

"Jealous much, Carlton? That you can't put two clues together and solve a case?"

Lassiter glared at Shawn and stepped closer, "Now you listen here, _Spencer_," he shot out, but Shawn matched him, glare for glare, step for step, and cut him off.

"No!" He yelled, "You listen!" His momentary outburst quieted as he continued, the station silent as they watched him struggle and fail to control his temper. "You went too far, Carlton. I've solved every case I've been given. And no, I don't have a badge, but I didn't think that mattered. We were colleagues. I was one of the few who believed you were innocent in the Drimmer fiasco!" He worked his jaw furiously, his eyes blazing.

His gaze turned to Juliet and he gave a smile that came nowhere close to reaching his eyes. "I was just trying to make you laugh, Juliet. Shame on me for trying to make you feel better. I don't know why I try anymore, actually. It's not like you care." He shook his head. "I really wish I could have finished my sentence earlier. You want the killer?" He asked, voice harsh as threw the file on the floor, "There you go. Oh, and Chief?" His hard gaze met her surprised one, "I see where I stand now. Don't bother calling me for anything else. This was my last case."

And with that, he turned around and left the building, Gus right beside him.

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AN: I don't know. Was Shawn angry enough? Let me know what you thought of this chapter! I love reading your thoughts!


	2. Chapter 2

AN: A HUGE thank you to all of you who left reviews. You guys are amazing!

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Juliet watched Shawn stride towards the exit and took a step to follow him. The station tensed when Shawn reached the door, expecting it to slam against the wall, but it didn't. Juliet wasn't surprised. Shawn was carefree and reckless when he was happy. Angry, Shawn was much more deliberate and controlled. Juliet blew out a quick sigh, looking down when her foot touched the file Shawn had dropped. She bent over to grab it and flipped through the pages. She closed her eyes, lips pressed together. Of course.

"Well?" Lassiter asked.

Juliet opened her eyes, glancing at all of the officers who were still silent. "What do you think? He found the killer."

…

Gus wasn't sure what to say. His best friend had just been fed to the wolves. He had spent a week working nonstop on this case for the very people who had just been so cruel to him. He hadn't seen Shawn get that angry in a long time. It was actually unnerving to see Shawn like that. With no traces of his usual humor on his face, his eyes glittering dangerously, and body tense with agitation, he looked like a completely different person.

Gus may not have been completely sober or conscious for both trips to Mexico, but he did have a vague memory from the first trip that stuck out to him now. He and Shawn had been out one night when, after having ten drinks too many, Gus had accidently thrown up all over one of the other patrons in the bar. He only had scattered memories after that. He remembered the man punching him in the stomach, remembered Shawn pulling the guy away from him, remembered Shawn standing between Gus and the stranger…remembered the stranger taking a step back and stuttering an apology…

Gus hadn't seen Shawn's face that night, but he had a feeling he'd seen something similar to it tonight. He shot a look at Shawn out of the corner of his eyes.

"Gus, Buddy, I'm not going to yell at you, too," Shawn sighed, staring out the window.

"I know; it's just…I'm sorry, Shawn."

"Yeah. Me too, Buddy."

Gus gripped the steering wheel a little tighter. "What are you going to do?" _Please, don't say you're leaving. Please…_

"Take me back to the office; my bike's there."

_You're not answering the question I'm really asking._ Gus shot a quick look at him again.

"I'm not going to run, Gus. We might not work for the police department anymore, but we still have Psych."

Gus blew out a quiet sigh. "Okay then."

When they pulled up in front of Psych a few minutes later, there was a moment of silence before Gus asked, "So, see you tomorrow?"

Shawn frowned, "Yeah. There's a case I need to fill you in on. Probably my dad, too." Shawn didn't really want to involve his father, but he also knew he didn't really have a choice. He had a feeling the SBPD wasn't going to be very helpful. Gus looked surprised, but didn't make a comment about it.

"Okay. See you later, Shawn."

There was a fist bump, and then Gus pulled away. Shawn just stood where he was, watching until the car disappeared. His shoulders slumped as he walked into the office. Running sounded like a great idea, but he really didn't want to leave Gus or his dad right now. So far, Drake's threats had been focused on Shawn, but he didn't want to take the chance that that wouldn't change.

Shawn stopped. There was a little piece of white paper on the floor. He tilted his head; that hadn't been there when he left. Slowly, Shawn bent down to pick it up, reading the words as a trickle of fear crawled up his spine.

_I see you._

Shawn heard a noise and dropped the letter to the ground, turning quickly to face whatever was in the office, but he was too late. A dark figure crashed into Shawn, pushing him into one of the desks. He thought he could smell a chemical of some sort-chloroform! _Crap! _ He increased his struggles, his elbow flying backwards and landing with a satisfying grunt. Shawn was pushing away from the desk when his attacker flipped Shawn around and punched him across the face. Before he could recover, a cloth was pressed against his nose. _Double crap!_

Shawn held his breath, clawing at the man and trying to break free. His attacker landed on top of him, pushing against his chest and forcing the air from his lungs. Shawn couldn't stop the reflex that made him inhale, even though he tried. The chemical stung his nose and Shawn felt himself losing consciousness. He fell to the floor, watching as if from a distance as the attacker grabbed Shawn's shirt and pulled him up slightly.

_That's not good, _Shawn thought as Christopher Drake's face came into view. Drake smiled, an expression that made Shawn's stomach twist. The last thing he saw was Drake's fist flying straight for his head.

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AN: I always look forward to hearing your thoughts.


	3. Chapter 3

AN: Thank you for the reviews! I haven't been able to get this chapter up before now, since I had a huge test today that I've been studying for. I am sooo happy to finally update!

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Gus pulled into the parking lot the next morning, surprised to see Shawn's bike in one of the spots. Usually, Shawn didn't get to the office until noon-ish, and it was, Gus checked his watch, 10:30 AM. _He must be really upset still about what happened last night._ Gus opened the door, calling out. "Shawn? Why are you here so-"

He froze, his gaze taking in his destroyed desk. "Shawn! What did you to do to my desk? Couldn't you have just trashed your own?"

He waited. Something was wrong. Shawn wasn't answering.

"Shawn?" Was it just him or did his desk also look crooked, like something had run into it?

"Shawn, I understand if you're angry, just please, please tell me you're here." This mess could have come from an angry Shawn. It was a completely plausible reason, but Gus just couldn't shake that feeling that something wasn't quite right.

His eyes fell on a piece of paper in the middle of the floor. He picked it up, promptly dropping it with a squeak when he read the three words printed boldly across the paper. His gaze darted nervously around the office and he grabbed a golf club-don't ask him why there was one in the office, he was just glad Shawn had a tendency to collect random objects-and quickly searched the office. He gripped his cell phone nervously when he completed his search.

The office was empty; no one hiding in it that shouldn't have been, but that also meant there was no sign of Shawn. Gus looked at his phone and shook his head. He had rather hoped to give Lassiter and Juliet more time to cool off before contacting them. This was not going to be fun. He dialed Juliet's number since she was the more forgiving of the two, and waited.

…

Juliet looked at her phone, surprised to see Gus' number. She answered it quickly. "Gus?"

Lassiter looked up from his desk, shocked at the nerve Gus had to be calling. Juliet frowned, "What do you mean Shawn's gone?"

Lassiter had heard enough, he grabbed Juliet's phone and barked, "Gus, you have no right to be calling…I don't care if Spencer's gone! He'll be back like a bad penny…Look Guster, he probably had a temper tantrum and trashed your desk!" He cut off Gus one more time, "No! Don't call us again; we have real emergencies to take care of. I'm not going to track Spencer down to Mexico just because you think he is in trouble. Good-bye!"

He hung up the phone, suddenly realizing he was in trouble. He cleared his throat and dropped the phone into Juliet's waiting hand, forcing himself to meet her eyes. He gave a sheepish look to her angry one, wincing when she began speaking in a very quiet voice that still managed to convey her threat.

"If you ever take my phone from me like that again, I will break your fingers."

Lassiter nodded quickly. O'Hara's expression changed. "What did he want?"

He filled her in quickly, glad she had let the incident go. "Apparently, he can't find Shawn. He said something about his desk being a mess and the building being empty. I'm sure Spencer just had a fit and is halfway to Mexico by now," He told her as he sat back down at his desk, ignoring both the flash of uncertainty that crossed O'Hara's face and his own misgivings.

…

His head hurt. So did his arms. Actually, he was pretty sure his arms hurt worse than his head. _I wonder why._ His eyes were closed, too, which was okay. He had a feeling his headache would ratchet up quite a few notches if he opened his eyes.

Why was he in pain? Had something happened? He remembered leaving the police department, having Gus drop him off at the office…There had been a message.

And just like that, Shawn's mind jumped into action, replaying the fight and the realization that it was Drake. _Crap._ Well, that explained what had happened. But now, what was going on? And why were his shoulders screaming at him? He shifted his feet, realizing he didn't feel anything underneath them.

Fantastic. Drake had him hanging by his arms. This did not bode well for Shawn.

A sudden slap echoed throughout the room and Shawn's head jerked sideways, as pain radiated across his face. His eyes flew open to see Drake smiling at him.

"I thought you were awake."

"Drake."

"Spencer." He began pacing in front of Shawn, "I've been planning this for a long time."

"I'll bet prison gave you oodles of time to think. Did you learn a new hobby, too? Crocheting? Needlepoint?"

"Shut up, Spencer," Drake growled, his pacing picking up in speed.

Shawn snorted, "Ooh, touchy about the prison time I take it. Let me guess, you had trouble making new friends?"

"I said to _shut up!" _He lashed out, his fist landing in Shawn's stomach.

Shawn gasped for breath. "Dude, I don't listen to my own father. What makes you think I'd listen to you?"

Drake smiled, "I never had any trouble making my children obey me. Or my wife, for that matter."

Shawn felt anger flow through him as his photographic memory reminded him of Sue's face, with her black eye, of one of her children flinching when Shawn reached out to ruffle his hair. "You son-of-a-" Shawn started, the words almost a growl.

"Ah-ah-ah! Watch your mouth, Spencer." He met Shawn's burning eyes with his own cool gaze and resumed pacing.

Shawn clenched his jaw and rolled his head back to look at his wrists. He gave a few twists, but wasn't surprised to find he was tied too securely to escape.

"You know why you're here, don't you?"

"You were throwing a 'Congratulations, You're Out of Jail' party and wanted me to come?"

Drake ignored the comment. "You are going to tell me where my family is at."

Shawn smirked, "What makes you think I know?"

"Oh, you know."

"There's not a chance in he-_uh_!"

"I believe I told you to watch your mouth."

Shawn glared, forcing himself to ignore the pain.

"Besides, you know where they are. And you will tell me." He tilted his head, standing straight in front of Shawn. "I should answer your question from earlier. I did find a new hobby while I was in jail. Boxing. I was told I was a natural."

_Double crap._ Shawn's eyes widened when he saw Drake lift his arms, curling his hands into fists.

"How many ribs do we have, Spencer? Twenty-four, isn't it? Twelve on each side? Hmm."

He felt his body sway with each fist that landed; each blow forcing a small noise of pain from his lips. A part of him knew not to show too much reaction to the pain. Drake wanted to see him suffer, but Shawn would stubbornly refuse to let that happen. The only reaction to a very sickening _crack_ was a gasp.

He forced his eyes open when he heard a chuckle.

"One down," Drake said, and he raised his arms again.

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AN: I always love hearing what you guys thought!


	4. Chapter 4

AN: Thanks for the reviews! You guys are fantastic!

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Gus stared at the phone in disbelief. They weren't going to help him find Shawn. They didn't _care_ that Shawn was missing. His fingers clenched around the cell-phone as he considered going to the station to give them a piece of his mind. Gus looked at the mess that was once his very organized desk as he came to a decision. He dialed a number and waited. When he heard the greeting, he started speaking.

"Mr. Spencer? I need your help."

Gus paced in the office, watching for Henry. It wasn't until he pulled up and marched through the door that Gus managed to take a deep breath.

"What's going on Gus? Did Shawn do something?" He crossed his arms, his gaze snagging on Gus' desk.

"Mr. Spencer, I think…I think Shawn's been kidnapped."

Henry's gaze sharpened and Gus swallowed nervously.

"Explain." The voice was flat, emotion tightly controlled.

Gus did so quickly, passing over the note when Henry held out his hand. Henry held the note only on the corners, studying it while absent-mindedly asking Gus if he had called the police.

"Yes." But before he could go into _that _portion of the story, Henry cut him off.

"Good. Stay here, I want to look around the rest of the office."

Henry walked along the sides of the room, staying far enough away from desk that he hoped he wouldn't interfere with any evidence. When he was back by Gus' side, his forehead was wrinkled with worry.

He glanced at his watch, "When did you call the police? They should have been here already."

Gus sighed. "There's something else you need to know."

…

His son was missing, and the police weren't coming. He spun away from Gus, rubbing his face in frustration, his blood boiling. No, Shawn didn't have a badge; but even though Henry still gave him a hard time about that fact, there was also no denying the fact that his son had wormed his way into the police family. He _was_ one of them, and his push to solve Higgs' murder proved that.

He was so angry, so worried, that he could hardly think straight, but he had to. He had to find Shawn

"Was he working on any cases that were particularly dangerous?"

Gus shook his head, "You know, he told me last night there was a case he was working on that he wanted to discuss with both of us."

Henry's eyebrows lifted, "He wanted to talk with me, too?"

"Yes."

"Do you know what?"

Gus rubbed his forehead, "No. He never mentioned anything."

He watched Henry walk over to Shawn's desk and pull at the drawers. The second drawer he pulled refused to open. His head snapped up, his gaze colliding with Gus'.

"He never locks anything. Why would he lock that drawer?" Gus asked, as he moved to stand beside Henry.

Henry didn't answer; he just knelt down and began to pick the lock. There was a click and Henry pulled the drawer open quickly. He froze for a split second when he saw the thick folder. Then he pulled it out and began flipping through the pages, surprised by the detail Shawn had taken in compiling the folder. There was information on the job that had introduced Shawn to Drake, the notes he had been receiving, the analysis of the fingerprints…He had a sick feeling that the reason Shawn had been so organized with this case was because he feared Drake's threats were real, that he would come for Shawn. And if Shawn never had a chance to tell anyone, which he hadn't, they would need this evidence to find him.

His gaze snagged on the last address connected to Drake. Pointing it out to Gus, he grabbed the file and strode to his truck, Gus right behind him. If this man had hurt Shawn, there would be no hole deep enough for him to hide in. Henry's jaw clenched as his grip tightened on the steering wheel.

Shawn was okay. He had to be.

…

Shawn shuddered as he watched Drake take a step away, a small smile playing across his mouth.

"I must say, that was much more satisfying than I thought it would be."

Shawn glared at him, but he knew it was a weak attempt. Drake reached out and pushed against Shawn.

"So that makes five ribs, right?"

Shawn groaned at the pressure. He was in so much pain.

"But you still haven't told me where my wife is."

"I'm never going to tell you," Shawn rasped.

Drake smirked, but Shawn still caught the anger that flashed across his face. Drake walked over to a table and picked up one of the items lying there. Turning around, he examined the knife before returning his gaze to Shawn's.

"Oh, you will. We'll just have some more fun before you finally tell me."

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AN: So Drake is turning out _slightly_ creepier than I planned. Eeks! Let me know what you all think!


	5. Chapter 5

Gus turned away from Henry, making sure no one entered the hallway. At this point, Gus had very few problems with the fact they were breaking a law by breaking into Drake's apartment. He heard a click and followed Henry inside. As far as Gus was concerned, he had told the police there was a crime and they had ignored him. Since they weren't looking for Shawn, then he and Henry would find him.

Henry moved through the rooms quickly, making sure the apartment was empty before returning to Gus' side. "This room and the bedroom look the most promising."

"I'll take the bedroom."

"Fine," Henry responded, moving across the small living room to search the desk.

Gus walked to the bedroom quickly, noticing the rumpled bed, the broken glass shards littering the carpet. Perhaps from a glass thrown across the room in anger? There really weren't very many personal effects in the apartment, but then, the man had just gotten out of jail a few weeks ago. He poked through the closet, finding nothing strange, when he heard Henry shout for him.

Hurrying back to the living room, he asked, "What did you find?"

Henry held up a sheet of paper, "He just leased a storage garage outside of town. What does he need storage for?"

Gus nodded, agreeing with Henry as he thought about the barren bedroom. "It's our best shot."

"Let's go," Henry said as he strode out of the apartment.

Gus knew this was their only hope. If Shawn wasn't at this storage garage, then they were back to square one. His stride lengthened, matching Henry's determined march. They would find him, and he would be fine.

…

It didn't matter how many times he told himself not to believe it, Shawn really didn't think anyone was going to find him. And after the fight at the police station…he'd like to think that wouldn't make a difference in how hard they searched for him. But Shawn had seen Lassiter's face; he knew the words that had fallen from his mouth had cut Juliet like a knife…It was very, very difficult for him to not feel alone, abandoned.

"Where's my wife, Spencer?"

"Ex-wife, D-Drake. And I'm n-not telling."

"Hmm," Drake said, moving to stand behind Shawn.

Shawn gasped as the knife was dragged across his back. He squeezed his eyes shut against the pain, clenching his jaw as Drake slowly moved the knife. He moaned as Drake found another spot to slice and felt himself start to drift…A slap to the face had him jerking his head up, eyes blinking widely as Drake smiled.

"Couldn't have you pass out on me, Spencer. We have so many things to do."

…

"Carlton?"

"What, O'Hara?"

She chewed her lip before answering. "I think we should check out the Psych office. Something feels off."

Lassiter sighed, a part of him secretly agreeing with her. "Fine. Let's go."

The drive was silent, tense. Lassiter tapped the steering wheel, on edge. He would never admit this to anyone, but he had probably been slightly out of line with the psychic the night before. But Spencer had opened himself up for an attack like that when he came into the station so…perky. Of course, Lassiter hadn't known it was because _he had just solved the case_; he'd just thought Spencer was continuing his idiot act.

He sighed again, that small worry niggling in the back of his mind once more. If Spencer _was_ in trouble, then Lassiter had refused to look for him, had wasted a few hours that could make all the difference in their search for the man. Yes, Lassiter had been out of line the night before. Now, he was hoping that was the only thing that was wrong.

"Gus' car is here; so is Shawn's motorcycle," Juliet said, her white-knuckled grasp on the door handle the only clue to how tense she felt.

Lassiter parked the car and strode for the entrance, Juliet right behind him. "Gus? Shawn?" She called out as they walked in. No answer. They moved through the small office, stopping between the two men's desks. Lassiter felt his stomach clench when he looked at Gus' desk.

"It looks like a struggle occurred here," Juliet said hollowly.

Lassiter swore, spinning around to pace the room. "Call Guster," He demanded, and she complied immediately.

"He's not answering," She said, frustration evident in her voice.

"Try Spencer."

Juliet punched in the number and waited. Her gaze fell to the floor, and then back to Lassiter, who knelt by Gus' desk. Slowly he reached under the desk and pulled out the familiar phone from its hiding spot. He gripped the phone in his grasp tightly, another curse spilling from his lips. This was not looking good for Spencer.

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AN: Thank you for reading and reviewing, guys! Your comments make my day!


	6. Chapter 6

AN: You guys left me some wonderful reviews. Thank you! I am very glad you are enjoying this.

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They had only made one stop on their way to the storage garage where they hoped to find Shawn. It was necessary, Gus knew, but it still made him nervous. He forced his gaze away from the gun, looking out the windshield, his gaze falling on the building they were pulling up to.

"Which number was it?" Henry asked.

Gus looked down at the sheet to check. "Twenty-three."

Henry circled around the units, looking for the number.

"There," Gus pointed and Henry stopped.

…

Shawn gasped as Drake grabbed his face, fingers digging into his cheeks painfully.

"I'm getting tired of this, Spencer. Just tell me where my family is. We can end this so much faster if you do."

Shawn forced a short laugh as Drake let go of him. "You think I believe that you'll just kill me quickly if I tell you?"

Drake tipped his head to the side for a moment, "Well, no. I won't. But I'd rather get the information from you _before_ your little mind snaps." Shawn grunted when Drake smacked the back of his head to emphasize his point.

He twisted his hands, which had lost all feeling. "You're…you're wasting your time." He shook his head, forcing an incredulous smile. "W-why would I lead you to them? They're free!"

Drake stepped closer to Shawn, and Shawn caught his breath at the maniacal glint he saw in Drake's eyes. His heart began hammering wildly. _This is it. This is the end._ He knew it was, knew something had just snapped in Drake's mind.

And there was nothing he could do about it. There was no way to stop him, no way to escape.

There was a sudden noise and his eyes shot to the doorway. When Drake saw Shawn's attention shift, he turned to follow his gaze. Another rattle broke through the sudden silence.

Drake spun back around and grabbed Shawn's face again, "We're not finished, Spencer!"

And with that, he ran behind Shawn, out of his line of sight. The door Shawn was still watching burst open, revealing a very angry, very focused Henry.

Henry's gaze snagged on Shawn, horror flitting across his face before he caught sight of Drake running out a back exit. "No! Freeze, you son of a-!" Henry swore, chasing after the man. Shawn flinched at the following gunshots, his breath faltering with the worry that Drake would somehow get the upper-hand and hurt his father. Shawn exhaled a shaky sigh when he heard the curses that heralded his father's return. He was okay.

His mind finally cleared enough for him to realize the figure he had been staring at in shock was Gus. Gus walked slowly towards Shawn, his eyes wide as he took in the sight of his best friend hanging from the ceiling. Henry joined him in the next instant, the corners of his eyes tightening as he studied his son.

"D-Dad? Gus?" The hoarse questions made both men wince.

"Hey, Son. We're going to get you down, okay?"

Shawn nodded slowly, not sure what was going on. How had they found him? And where were Lassie and Jules? Surely they would have helped look for him, even though they had fought. Right?

They were lowering him from the ceiling as carefully as possible, but Shawn's legs collapsed when they reached the floor. His body folded and Shawn yelled out in pain, trying his best to muffle the sound as soon as it burst free…but he had tried so hard and for so long to hide his pain and he was so tired...

He saw his father turn pale at the noise and heard Gus apologizing profusely. "Gus, buddy…Not your fault," He forced out, eyes shut tight as he struggled to control his pain.

His father cut the rope from his hands and gently pulled Shawn towards him. Shawn leaned against him, feeling himself start to drift when he heard Henry tell Gus to call an ambulance. He wondered why Gus needed to call one when he was sure Lassiter or Jules would do it as soon as they caught up to them.

He forced his eyes open, tilting his head back to see his father better. "You're o-okay? Drake didn't…?" He asked, needing to make sure.

Henry shook his head, "No, no I'm fine."

Shawn felt a small smile break across his face, relief washing through him before he felt his strength leave him.

"He got away, Shawn. I couldn't stop him, he had a vehicle waiting." He cursed, "I should have checked, I just didn't want to wait any longer to see if you were here." He looked back down at his son when he didn't hear a response. He shook his head when he saw that Shawn was unconscious. "Ah, kid," he muttered, wrapping his arm around Shawn more securely. _I've got you. I won't let him get near you again, _he vowed silently.

* * *

AN: Yay, they found Shawn. Whoops, Drake escaped. I wonder what's going to happen next...seriously. I haven't written much yet. Writer's block. Let me know what you thought?


	7. Chapter 7

AN:You guys are wonderfully supportive. Thanks for tossing some ideas my direction, telling me to hang in there, and just telling me you still enjoy this story. You all are fantastic. And a get-well wish to MinKattMossy: hope you feel better soon! Oh, and there is slightly-protective Lassiter here, for those of you who have been upset by his attitude in the last few chapters.

* * *

They had almost reached the station when the radio crackled to life, bearing news of an assault victim with the name of Shawn Spencer. Lassiter spun the car around, speeding to the hospital. He saw his partner pale before she said, "Oh no. Gus tried to tell us. We didn't listen; Carlton, we ignored-"

"I know." He reached a hand out to squeeze her shoulder briefly. "I know."

They dashed inside the building only to realize the ambulance had not yet reached its destination. Lassiter began pacing while Juliet stared out the window. "Carlton!"

He hurried to her side to see the ambulance pull up, followed by Henry's truck, which Gus was driving. They stepped back away from the doors, watching as a stretcher was pulled out of the back of the ambulance. Juliet covered her mouth when her gaze fell on the unconscious form on the stretcher, her mind cataloguing each bruise and gash that covered his torso.

She was so focused on Shawn that she didn't even notice Henry striding towards them until he was right in front of them.

"What the hell are you doing here?" He yelled, blue eyes flashing dangerously.

"What happened?" Juliet asked, craning her neck to see around Henry as she tried to catch another glimpse of Shawn.

Henry ignored her question, focusing his gaze on Lassiter. "Get out! Now!"

"Hold on, Henry. We just want to know what happened."

"You want-! You know what my SON wanted? He just _wanted_ to give you the killer! He just _wanted _his so-called friends to look for him when he was kidnapped! You have no right to be here, _Detectives_; you gave up that right when you turned your backs on him!" His eyes flashed between the two. "Lassiter, I'm not really surprised at, but _you!" _ His gaze cut straight through Juliet.

She flinched at the words, her eyes flying back to Henry. Once again, Lassiter squeezed her shoulder, and stepped slightly in front of her. "If anyone should be blamed, it should be me. I stopped O'Hara from hearing what happened."

"Please, just let us fix this," Juliet whispered, "Let us investigate this and talk to Shawn to find out what happened."

Gus entered the conversation at this point, stepping forward as he crossed his arms, trying to hide the way his hands shook in anger. "That's not our call to make. It's Shawn's, and I don't need to tell you…he may not want to talk to either of you. You two messed up. You had a chance to make up for what happened at the station, and not only did you choose not to take advantage of that, but you actually made the situation worse."

A doctor walked through the door. "Family of Shawn Spencer?"

…

With each word that fell from the doctor's mouth, Juliet felt even more guilt pile on her back. When Henry had asked to see him, and the doctor agreed, she was hopeful she might be able to sneak back to see him…until Henry's gaze swept across her and Lassiter before landing on Gus. Gus had nodded and Henry followed the doctor alone. Her heart sank with the understanding that Gus was staying behind at the moment to keep her and Lassiter from following.

She turned away from Gus, who was still glaring at them, and began pacing. Lassiter had moved to lean against the wall, calling the chief. She knew he would pull every string he could so that they would be placed on this case. Case…This wasn't just some random case; this was Shawn!

She and Lassiter had to be the ones to investigate this, to begin to make up for their mistake. And she was worried that Shawn would not let them talk to him. Especially if Henry had anything to say about it. Gus, on the other hand…Between Henry and Gus, Gus was the more forgiving of the two. And this might be the only chance she had to plead her case. She turned on her heel, mid-pace, and moved to stand right in front of Gus, who kept his arms crossed as he looked at her.

"Gus, we're sorry. More sorry than you know. It wasn't right-what happened at the station and us not taking you seriously when you called. We went to the office and we knew, immediately, that we were wrong…I wish it hadn't taken us those few hours to realize what happened-you have no idea how much I wish that!" She could feel her eyes starting to water, could hear her voice snag slightly as she talked. "You have to believe me; we will do everything in our power to find out who did this to Shawn and catch him. We just need the chance to make this up to him. Please."

Gus hadn't moved the whole time she spoke, he just watched her. But if she wasn't mistaken, his glare had softened the smallest amount, though it was obvious how angry he was still.

"Look, Juliet, I already told you; it's Shawn's choice, not mine or Henry's."

"I know that, but…we both know Shawn might need some convincing to see us once he learns the whole story."

Gus sighed and gave her a nod. "I'll see what I can do." He ran a hand over his head, hesitating.

"What is it?" She asked, reaching her hand out to touch his arm for a quick second.

"This whole situation, Juliet. When we found him," Gus gulped, "He was hanging from the ceiling, and I was just…the whole time I was in shock, over the fight, that Shawn was missing, and that Shawn…well, I'll let him tell you. Let me go see if he's awake. I'll try and get Henry to realize you guys are the best detectives for this. I have a feeling that at this point, you guys won't leave a stone unturned to find Drake."

And with that, he strode away from them, heading the same direction Henry had gone.

"Did you hear that?" Lassiter asked as he stepped to Juliet's side.

She nodded, brow furrowing in confusion. "He already knows who did this," She said, head tilting as she watched Gus disappear around a corner. What exactly was going on?

* * *

AN: Hopefully that read well; half of that was from my creative dry spell. :( Let me know what you thought?


	8. Chapter 8

AN: Hey guys! Thanks for your reviews! It's a longer chapter today!

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Shawn woke slowly, the memories of what had happened to him pushing at his mind. He shuddered and began to open his eyes. His gaze fell on Gus and his father, who were having a hushed conversation-_scratch that, _he amended as he saw their expression, _argument. _Whatever they were arguing about, Henry was definitely against. Henry shook his head emphatically before his gaze fell on Shawn. Eyes widening in surprise, he moved to Shawn's bedside, Gus right behind him.

"Shawn," Henry said, a look of relief crossing his face.

"Dad…Gus…How did you find me? And where…where are Lassie and Jules?" He squinted, his head tilting as he caught a strange look pass between the two men. "What?" He asked. "What is it?"

…

Shawn wasn't sure how he felt. He was, first and foremost, relieved. He was free, which he hadn't thought he would be ever again; and he was alive, which he hadn't thought he would be at this point. He was grateful, because Gus and his father had found him. They hadn't just let him disappear; they had followed the clues and found him.

But he was struggling, because two of the people he had counted on to look for him hadn't even cared he was missing. They _hadn't even cared._ He was…he didn't know what he was. Shocked? Sure. Angry? Beyond a doubt. Hurt?...Yeah. He couldn't completely comprehend…how they could just look the other direction when he was missing, while he was being tortured. What had he done to deserve that? He really didn't understand. Why had his life been worth nothing to them?

…

If there was one thing Gus prided himself on, it was his ability to read Shawn. The two were best friends, after all, had been for years. He could always tell when he was joking or serious, happy, withdrawn, tired… And for a split second, after he and Henry had finished telling him what had happened, he had been able to see every emotion Shawn was feeling as they flashed across his face. There was confusion, disbelief, shock, pain…But now? Now, Gus had no idea what Shawn was thinking. Now, his face was empty, completely devoid of emotion.

Silence filled the room as Shawn stared at the ceiling. They were waiting for his decision on whether or not he would let Lassiter and Juliet take his statement. Gus still wasn't sure he had been able to clearly explain how those two would be the best choice, but he had told Shawn about Juliet's plea.

"What do you think I should do, Gus?"

Gus blinked at the soft question. He stuffed his hands in his pocket as he responded. "To be honest, Shawn, I think they are the best choice."

There was silence again, and then Henry spoke. "It's your decision, Shawn."

Gus nodded, "Whatever you feel is best, we're behind you, one hundred percent."

"I really don't want to see them."

"I know." He watched Shawn close his eyes as silence reigned for a few more moments.

Finally, Shawn nodded. "Okay. I'll talk to them."

…

When Gus had told them they could see Shawn, she was relieved. He would tell them what happened, she and Lassiter would catch the bad guy, Shawn would begin to forgive them, and everything would be normal. Logically, she knew it wouldn't be that cut and dry, but she was hopeful. A soon as she walked into his hospital room, though, that relief turned into nervousness. Henry was still glaring at them, livid. And Shawn…Shawn's gaze landed first on Lassiter and then flitted to Juliet. She saw a spark of some unnamable emotion cross his face before he hid it and his eyes moved away.

She swallowed, throat suddenly dry as she glanced at Lassiter, silently pleading with him to say something to get them started. Lassiter returned her glance and she saw clearly how uncomfortable he felt. He cleared his throat and moved to the foot of the bed.

Shawn met his eyes and Lassiter began speaking. "We will be the ones investigating this case and…if you're able, we can take your statement now."

"Fine," Shawn said, and he launched into his account.

Juliet hurried to pull out her notebook and pencil as she sat by the bed, quickly writing down everything Shawn said. The farther he got into his account, the more layers he revealed to her. Bravery and selflessness-of course he wouldn't tell them about the threats he had received when a police officer had been murdered. Loyalty and protectiveness-of course he wouldn't betray the trust Sue and her children had placed in him, even when his own life was at stake. Juliet had always suspected he had these selfless characteristics, had caught glimmers of them in the past, but this was the clearest she had ever seen them.

She looked up when his words began slowing, heart stuttering when she saw how pale he had become. Henry stepped forward, hand reaching for the call button.

"That's it. I'm calling for the doctor. You need more pain medication."

"No, Dad, I'm-_hmmm_," He had reached out a hand to stop his father, which had obviously irritated his injuries even more. His face turned another shade lighter as he pressed his lips together. He closed his eyes for a few moments before his face relaxed slightly from its pinched expression. The death grip he had on his father's wrist loosened and he opened his eyes again.

"I…have to finish this. I need my mind clear. As soon as I'm done…you can call the doctor."

Henry crossed his arms as he studied his son, obviously prepared to argue.

"Spencer, we can finish the statement later. Why don't you just take a break?" Lassiter interceded.

Juliet was surprised at the slight concern her partner showed on his face.

"No," Shawn shook his head as he met Lassiter's eyes. "I want to finish this now."

Lassiter hesitated before nodding his head.

Shawn took a breath and continued. "Drake told me it would end quicker, if I just told him where Sue was. I asked him if he really expected me to believe him. He said no, that he really just wanted me to tell him the information before…before my mind snapped."

Juliet's pencil broke. Everyone except for her and Shawn jumped at the unexpected crack. Juliet focused on the pencil, unwilling to meet those green eyes that were studying her so intensely.

She hadn't even realized she had been gripping the pencil so hard. She reached for her purse, searching for another pencil or pen, her cheeks beginning to burn as she continued to feel his gaze on her. Finally, she grasped another pencil and pulled it out. She cleared her throat as she met his eyes. "Sorry," she said, just above a whisper. She didn't know what that look was, what it meant. It was contemplative; almost like he could read her inner-most thoughts and wasn't sure what to think of them.

When he finally broke eye contact with her, she quickly sucked in a breath, realizing she hadn't truly breathed since he had started staring at her. With a jolt, she realized he had started speaking again and hurried to catch up.

It didn't take long for him to finish his statements, and as soon as he was done, Henry pushed the call button, quirking an eyebrow as his son rolled his eyes at him.

"We'll need to get your statements, Henry, Guster, but we can do that at a later time." Lassiter cleared his throat and took a step closer to the bed. Juliet saw Lassiter's jaw clench and knew he was upset with himself. He hesitated then said, "Spencer, I let my…emotions get in the way of doing my job. I have no excuse for what happened at the station, other than Higgs' murder hitting so hard. And I took my frustrations out on you and turned my back on you for…for no reason.

"I owe you an apology; so…I'm sorry. And we're going to catch this scumbag." He nodded at Shawn and quickly left the room, leaving Juliet, Henry, Gus and Shawn to stare after him in surprise. Slowly, the three men turned to stare at Juliet, who stood up from her seat.

"Shawn, I'm sorry. I should never have assumed you had just…left. I made a horrible mistake and I'm going to do everything I can to make it up to you."

There was such a seriousness to his expression that Juliet wasn't used to seeing. A doctor bustled in, introducing himself, but Shawn didn't look away. Not until after Lassiter bellowed for her from the hallway and she gave him a quick nod. She turned and hurried from the room to catch up with Lassiter.

His gaze swept across her. "You good, O'Hara?"

She took a deep breath-_not yet, but soon, I hope._ "Yes. You?"

He nodded and she saw the same determination that she felt reflected in his expression. They strode from the hospital side by side. No more words were needed.

* * *

AN: Hopefully it wasn't too mushy. And the action wil pick up again soon. Let me know what you all thought!


	9. Chapter 9

AN: Forgive me for not updating this last weekend? I'm really sorry!

* * *

Shawn blew out a sigh, glaring at the ceiling. Stupid, boring hospital room. He'd taken a nap after his statement and was now wide awake at 3:00 AM. Wide, _wide _awake. Stupid nap. He shifted his gaze to the clock, watching in irritation as it ticked off another minute. His father let out a soft snore and Shawn's eyes shot over to him, wincing at the awkward position of his neck. That was not going to feel good tomorrow.

He'd told his father to go home, but Henry had refused, reluctant to leave his son's side after everything that had happened and unwilling to trust Shawn's safety to the police officer standing guard outside his room. His father had been very angry after Lassiter and Juliet had left, and Shawn…Shawn was angry too, but he was also disappointed and he felt…betrayed.

The intense strength of his emotions had made it difficult to focus on his statement. He had been torn between those emotions and the horror of reliving his nightmare as he spoke; and in a way, he was grateful for the anger. It helped him to focus on something other than the remembered fear and kept him from being completely overwhelmed by the memories.

He really didn't know what to think, wasn't sure how to fix this situation or if it even could be. The logical part of his mind wanted to forgive them and get past this chasm. The emotional part of him that reminded him of all the pain he had gone through wasn't ready to forgive and forget. He closed his eyes, blocking out Juliet's wide-blue eyed gaze silently apologizing to him.

…

_Three weeks later…_

Shawn sliced through the pineapple, fingers tightening around the knife when he had a sudden flashback. He could see Drake smiling at him, the knife slicing across his skin…He closed his eyes, pushing out a deep breath through pursed lips, forcing himself to think about something else.

He had been released from the hospital a little over three weeks ago and had been staying at his father's house until the day before, when he finally told his father it was time to go back to normal. His father hadn't been happy. He felt his lips twist up in a small smile; his father not being happy was an understatement. Henry had wanted Shawn to stay until Drake was captured, but Shawn couldn't stay. After all, Drake had all but promised to return for Shawn with his "We're not finished, Spencer!" and Shawn didn't want to put his father in danger by staying at the house. Yes, Henry was an ex-cop, but Drake…Drake was vicious.

A knock on the door broke him from his thoughts. Frowning, he walked out of the kitchen and to the door. He wasn't expecting anyone today. He'd already talked to his father, Gus had left not too long ago…He checked the peep-hole, stomach twisting in nervousness at the figure waiting on the other side. Slowly, he pulled open the door.

…

Juliet pulled up in front of Shawn's apartment, determined. She stepped out of her car and waved at Buzz as he pulled out of the parking lot. She and Carlton would be sharing a shift tonight, but she'd gotten there early, because it was time. Since Shawn had been released from the hospital, the only conversation she'd had with Shawn had been stilted and awkward and purely about the investigation. Tonight, Juliet was going to do everything she could to start mending their relationship. She had waited long enough; it was time.

She knocked on the door, shifting anxiously until the door opened slowly to reveal a weary-looking Shawn.

"Hey, Shawn."

"Juliet."

There was silence as they looked at each other.

"Can I come in?" She asked finally. Shawn moved back, opening the door wider. She stepped in, curiously looking around, surprised by how cozy he had made his home.

He moved past her, into another room, and she followed. She gave a small smile when she saw the pineapple on the kitchen counter, partially sliced.

"Is there something I can do for you, Detective?"

She hated the wall he built every time he used such a formal name for her. He leaned against the counter, crossing his arms as he stared at her.

"I wanted to talk to you."

"About the case?" He cocked an eyebrow, waiting for an answer.

"No, Shawn, it's not about the case." The frustration she felt was seeping into her voice, despite her best efforts to keep herself calm.

"Then I'm sorry, but I don't know what we need to talk about."

At this, Juliet lost that small measure of self-control she had, and she responded, "No? How about the fact we haven't had a decent conversation in the last three weeks? How can I fix this if you won't talk to me?" She saw his expression shift to agitation for a quick second before he returned to his emotionless façade.

"I think it would be best if you left, Detective."

He straightened from the counter, but before he could take a step, she said, "Stop! Would you just talk to me, so I know where I should start?"

"You don't want to know-"

"The heck I don't, Shawn! Come on!" She put her hands on her hips as she spoke, leaning towards him.

"Fine! You want me to talk? I'll talk!"

His outburst wasn't entirely unexpected, but she still took a step back at the force of his response. He began pacing the room, hands gesturing emphatically.

"Where would you like me to start? How it felt when you all were trying to throw me out of the station when I solved the murder? Or how about how I felt when I woke up hanging from the ceiling, a psychopath deciding to use me as a punching bag? Or maybe we should talk about how I assumed, incorrectly, that you and Lassiter would be searching for me?" He swung around to face her, "I am just so angry, Jules!" His mouth snapped shut, and he turned away from her to pace the room again, his eyes flashing.

She sighed. Finally; he'd used her nickname and given her the information she needed.

"You're not angry."

"Oh, I'm not? You wanna bet on that?" He gave a little shake of his head, and she amended her statement.

"You're not _just_ angry; you're hurt. Because," He paced in front of her again, and she put her hand on his chest to stop him. He froze, looking at her, and those beautiful green eyes were so full of emotion that it was difficult for her to continue. "Because if it had been me, the only thing Carlton would have had to say was 'Juliet is missing' and nothing would have stopped you from looking for me. _Nothing."_

She moved her hand from his chest to his cheek, heart breaking at the confirmation she saw in his face. He closed his eyes at her touch.

"It wasn't right, me turning my back on you, and you have no idea how _much_ I want to take this pain from you." She brushed her fingers across his cheek and felt a small shudder run through his body.

"Please…please stop," he whispered, the small catch in his voice tugging at her heart.

"Shawn…"

"Please…"

His eyes were still squeezed shut as she gave a sad smile and slowly pulled her hand away. She had tried. It was up to him now. He turned away from her and leaned against the counter. She felt her shoulders drop and walked away, throwing one last look at his hunched form.

She shook her head, lips twisted in disappointment when she caught a movement in her periphery. She spun around, a ragged gasp falling from her mouth as she recognized the figure a split second before Drake hit her with the butt of his knife and she fell to the floor, unconscious.

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AN: I promised you guys action-consider this the lead in! Let me know what you thought, and have a Happy Thanksgiving!


	10. Chapter 10

He could still feel the warmth from where her hand had touched his face. It had felt so good…He turned away to lean against the counter, unable to look at her, unable to stand on his own. A part of him couldn't help realizing how absolutely adorable she was even when she snapped at him. Another part just did not want to deal with the situation, with her.

His eyes shot open when he heard her gasp.

"Jules?" He turned around, curious, quickly darting forward when he saw her fall. "Jule-!" The name died on his lips and he froze in shock as Drake stepped around the corner. "No," he whispered.

The fear that was coursing through him at Drake's smile turned quickly to anger when Drake knelt besides Juliet's still form. Shawn took a step forward, fists clenching. He wasn't sure what he planned to do; he just knew he had to get Drake away from her.

"I wouldn't, if I were you," Drake said carelessly; the knife he held in his hand was now resting besides Juliet's neck, and Shawn felt his blood freeze in horror. Drake would do it, he had no doubt. Look at what he had done to his own family and to Shawn. No, the man wouldn't hesitate to kill Juliet.

Shawn wanted to say something, anything, but what? He knew why Drake was here, had fully expected the man to appear sooner or later, knew whenever that happened it could be the end…

"Raise your hands and turn around."

Shawn hesitated just long enough to see Drake press the knife into Juliet's neck before quickly turning around and lifting his hands. He could hear Drake moving towards him and tensed.

"Let's finish what we started, shall we?"

Shawn fell to the floor as the shock went through his system, unable to do anything but lie there, panting at the pain. He could feel Drake moving him, lifting him into a chair and pulling his hands behind his back. He could feel himself regaining control of his body and struggled, until he felt that current flow through his body again. He slumped in his chair, his throat producing a strange, guttural groan of pain.

He watched, helpless, as Drake finished securing him and moved to Juliet, securing her to a chair that faced Shawn. Her gun he moved to the table, easily within his reach. Then he moved towards Shawn, twisting the knife in his hands. "Been a while."

"Not long enough," Shawn shot back, his eyes flickering to Juliet and back to Drake. "Why don't you just let her go? She has nothing to do with this."

"No. I have a feeling she'll come in handy when she wakes up." He turned to glance at Juliet before smirking at Shawn, "She's quite…beautiful."

Shawn clenched his jaw so hard it hurt.

"It looks like you are healing well from our last encounter." Drake used the knife to pull the collar of Shawn's shirt down. Shawn pressed himself as far back into the chair as he could, glaring at Drake. The smile that had haunted his nightmares returned. Drake positioned the knife on Shawn's chest, right above the buttons, and Shawn felt his breath catch. "Which means we have a fresh start."

He quickly dragged the knife down and Shawn bit back a cry as the knife sliced through his shirt and into his skin. Shawn closed his eyes, trying to separate what was happening now from his vivid flashbacks. _Drake was moving to stand behind him and Shawn could feel the knife biting into his back. Another slice and Shawn was drifting…_He dragged himself from the memory with difficulty, knowing he needed to focus. He couldn't believe this was happening again; but this time, it was worse. Worse, because Juliet was right in the middle of the situation. As soon as she regained consciousness, Drake would target her and Shawn could not let her be hurt. He would never forgive himself if something happened to her.

There was another slice and Shawn gasped.

"So, did you miss me, Spencer?

* * *

AN: Thank you for the great comments, guys! Sorry this chapter was a bit short!


	11. Chapter 11

AN: Thank you for your great reviews! Someone mentioned they were confused by how Drake had subdued Shawn in the last chapter. I never really explain what it is, but consider it a really mean mix between a taser and a stun gun. I just wanted to explain, since it makes a reappearance in this chapter.

* * *

Juliet stifled a groan, some instinct telling her to be quiet before she was even fully conscious. What had happened? The last thing she remembered was talking to Shawn…_Oh no._ She opened her eyes slightly, scanning the room for Drake through her squinted eyes. Seeing no sign of the man, she opened them the rest of the way, her attention immediately caught by Shawn's still form. He sat across from her, head hanging low, body shuddering as he breathed. She bit her lip, masking her horror when she saw the blood flowing freely from his torso.

"Shawn?" She whispered.

His head shot up and she gasped at his battered face. How long had she been out? And how could she have been so oblivious, so unaware of Shawn being hurt for that time?

This wasn't fair. Shawn didn't deserve this! He had already gone through hell once; why did he have to do it again?

"Jules, you…you need to pretend you're…out still."

"Where is he?"

"In…the other room. Please, Jules…close your eyes."

He was looking at her, urging her to listen, but she wouldn't. She knew why he was telling her to, but…Juliet was the police officer. It was her job to protect. And this was Shawn! She honestly couldn't stand to see him hurt anymore. Maybe she would be able to hold Drake's attention long enough for Carlton to find them.

"Now, Jules!" He whispered urgently.

Slowly, she shook her head. She didn't have a chance to see Shawn's reaction because Drake chose that moment to make his appearance.

"Well, Sleeping Beauty's awake. Hello there, Gorgeous." Drake walked around to stand in front of her and she glared at him. "Oh, we have a little spitfire here, don't we?" He reached down to finger a lock of her hair and she jerked her head away.

Belatedly, she realized he had secured her to the chair _with her own handcuffs._ That just added insult to injury. She saw Shawn clenching his jaw and straining against his bonds, and saw him open and close his mouth, obviously deciding that saying anything in her defense would give Drake even more ammunition.

Drake turned around, walking to Shawn. He grabbed his chin, forcing Shawn's head up. She could see Drake's fingers digging into his skin, could see Shawn's breathing accelerate.

"As much fun as this is, I am losing my patience. Where is my wife?"

Juliet watched Shawn's mouth curl up into a defiant half-smile and she caught her breath at the sheer bravery he showed in that small action.

"You should get a new hobby. Should I suggest some-" Juliet saw the knife glint as it slashed across his chest.

"He's not the only one who knows where your wife is!" Juliet hurried to say, panicked, as she saw Shawn's face contort in pain.

"Yes, I am!" Shawn gasped.

Drake cocked his head to the side, his gaze moving between the two of them, a flash of triumph crossing his face. He placed the knife down on the counter and picked up another item, turning to face Juliet. She saw Shawn's eyes fall on the device Drake had picked up, saw them widen and saw him struggling to get free.

"I know where she is," Juliet said calmly.

"You do, do you? And I don't suppose you'd be willing to tell me?"

"She doesn't know! I never told anyone!"

Juliet forced a smirk, "I was investigating this case. Of course I know where she is." She ignored the horror she saw in Shawn's expression as she continued. "And no. I'm not going to tell you."

"Of course not." Drake reached out with the small black device to touch Juliet.

"No!" Shawn yelled. "Stop! She doesn't know! _She doesn't know!_ Stop!" He fought against the zip tie binding his hands together, pure terror flooding his body as Juliet writhed in the chair, a pained moan escaping from her lips. "Jules! She doesn't know! Please!" He felt his skin around his wrists tear, but continued struggling, not even caring about the pain.

Drake pulled his hand away, smiling as he faced Shawn. "Well, that certainly mixes things up a bit."

"She doesn't know, Drake. I'm the only one who knows where your family is." The only thoughts he had now were for Juliet's safety. He knew what she was doing; how could he not? And he couldn't let her do it! He couldn't let her continue to try and shift Drake's attention to herself. "Let her go, and I'll tell you where they are." He had to get her out of this danger; he would say anything to make her safe. But he also had a promise to keep; he had a family that had already survived so much that was relying on his silence. And as long as Juliet was in the mix…Shawn needed to get her out of this situation.

"Shawn, no!" Juliet gasped.

"You're in no position to make demands. Besides, I find her the necessary catalyst to make you speak. And if she knows…well, it seems I've found her hot spot as well."

…

Lassiter stepped out of his car and looked around the parking lot. He had a bad feeling. A really bad feeling. He slammed the door shut and strode towards O'Hara's car, his eyes narrowing when he saw the car was empty. Was she talking to Spencer? He leaned against her car, crossing his arms as he waited impatiently. That bad feeling was still there. He checked his watch and realized he had only been waiting for a few minutes. He sighed and pulled his phone out, punching in her number and waiting. It rang and went to her voice mail. He felt his face settle into a familiar scowl as he turned to look into her car…and saw her cell-phone lying on the dashboard. He rolled his eyes, trying to suppress the strange anxiousness that had come out of nowhere.

He hadn't wanted to interrupt them; he'd actually been hoping they were working things out. O'Hara had been feeling guilty since that day in the hospital, and it was only a matter of time before that guilt interfered with her work. He sighed and began walking to Shawn's apartment. Better to just check and make sure nothing was wrong.

…

Drake moved towards Juliet again.

"You're a coward!" Shawn shot out.

Drake froze and spun around slowly to face Shawn.

"Shawn!" Juliet gasped.

"Excuse me?"

"Preying on women and children-you're nothing but a coward!"

Shawn folded over the man's fist as it landed in his stomach, grunting at the impact, the next punch to his jaw making him see stars. Without warning, the current was back, higher than before, racing along his nerves. The pain was stealing his breath and he felt his consciousness slip, Juliet's yells and his own seeming to come from a great distance.

His mind didn't register the loud sound of crashing. He _was_ able to feel the pain dissipate, but it left him too dazed to focus on the words being yelled. Shawn jumped at the gunshot, his eyes snapping open, chest heaving as he fought for his breath. He watched Drake fall to the floor, Juliet's gun falling from his grasp. Lassiter was there, holding his gun on Drake's still form while quickly unlatching Juliet's handcuffs.

As soon as the handcuffs popped open, Juliet darted for her gun, holding it unerringly at Drake's head. Lassiter knelt beside the man, hand reaching out to check for a pulse. Both Juliet and Shawn froze as they waited for Lassiter to speak, Shawn splitting his attention between Drake and Juliet. She was blinking rapidly, her eyes shining a little brighter than usual. He furrowed his brow in confusion, his mind not clear enough at that moment to realize she was so upset over him. Juliet sighed, lowering her gun when Lassiter spoke. "He's gone. You get Spencer, I'll call the chief." The order was unnecessary, Juliet was already moving.

Shawn watched, speechless for once, as Juliet hurried to his side and freed him from his bonds.

"I am so sorry," she whispered as his hands came free with a snap. She pursed her lips when she caught sight of his damaged wrists, a testament to how hard he had tried to free himself for her. "Come on," she murmured helping him stand. "Let's get out of this room."

She wrapped her arm around his back, supporting him as they left the kitchen and moved to his living room. She helped him sit and kneeled in front of him, frowning as she studied him. Should she wrap his wrists first? Or do something about the knife wounds? Her thoughts came to a halt when Shawn reached out a hand to cup her cheek.

"Are you okay?" He asked, searching her eyes.

She nodded quickly, "Yes. Yes, I'm fine. It's you-"

"Good," Shawn broke in. He moved his hands so both grasped her arms, holding her securely in place.

Juliet felt her eyes widen when he continued.

"Then maybe you can tell me what the _hell_ you were thinking! Drake could have killed you!" His eyes had turned a darker green as he glared at her, his mouth pressed into a hard line.

His anger that night at the station when he had solved Higgs' murder was _nothing_ compared to the anger he was showing now. But Juliet could see the fear and worry that he had felt for her behind that anger, and those emotions were what sparked such a strong reaction in him.

"I couldn't stand to see you get hurt."

"I don't care, Juliet! Better me than you! Don't ever do that again!"

"I can't promise that, Shawn," She whispered. She couldn't. She would do it again in a heartbeat if it meant Shawn wasn't being hurt.

His expression darkened even more at her words; he growled and, in a move that completely shocked Juliet, put one hand around the back of her neck and pulled her to his lips. Stunned, she didn't react, couldn't react; she just froze until her mind finally understood Shawn was kissing her. In the next moment, she had leaned into the kiss, one hand resting on his shoulder, the other grasping his knee. The small part of her mind that was conscious enough to think was worried she would hurt him if she put her hands anywhere else; the rest of her was floating.

He deepened the kiss, pulling her closer to him; the fear, worry, and anger he had yet to get over giving the kiss a hard, desperate edge she couldn't miss. Slowly, she felt him relax, the fierce emotions giving way as the kiss became sweeter.

"Okay, I filled in the chief and the ambulance is on its way. O'Hara, are-Spencer! What in the name of Sweet Justice are you doing to my partner?"

Shawn and Juliet parted quickly, a smile blossoming on both of their faces. There was a sparkle in Shawn's eyes that she had not seen in over a month, and she found she couldn't look away from it.

"Lassie! What took you so long to join the party? For a moment there, I was worried your invitation got lost in the mail."

Juliet tore her gaze away from Shawn's to look at Carlton, who barely managed to keep his eyes from rolling.

"Whatever, Spencer. Don't thank me for saving your life or anything."

"Okay," Shawn said happily.

Juliet laughed as Carlton's face puckered. As sour as he looked now, the worry line between his eyebrows that had been present for the last few weeks was finally gone. She felt Shawn tighten his grasp on her as he met her gaze deeply for the quickest second before turning back to Carlton. His expression, when he nodded at Carlton, was much more serious; and Juliet knew Shawn was thanking Carlton for not only saving him, but her as well. Carlton nodded back and turned on his heel to walk back to the kitchen. Shawn pulled Juliet even closer, letting his head rest against hers. Their eyes drifted shut, their breath mingling, both of them reliving the last hour…remembering the fear and helplessness they felt at seeing the other in danger and pain.

But it was over. It was finally over. They were safe.

* * *

AN: That was a huge chapter, for me. I hope you guys enjoyed! Possibly one last chapter after this.


	12. Chapter 12

AN: Thank you all for your wonderful support on this story. I really enjoyed sharing this with you. And since I like the tradition I've started...This last chapter is dedicated to all who read and reviewed. Thank you!

* * *

Henry reached the hospital just minutes after Shawn arrived. He stood beside Shawn's bed, listening as the doctor finished his exam, alternating between glaring at Detectives O'Hara and Lassiter, and watching his son with concern that he masked as irritation. The doctor left and Henry glared at his son's hand in O'Hara's tight grasp.

"Dad," Shawn sighed, "Would you stop giving them the death glare?"

Henry crossed his arms, his response interrupted when Gus ran into the room.

"Shawn! Are you okay?"

"Hey, buddy!" Shawn held his hand up for a fist bump. "Don't worry; it's just a scratch."

Gus rolled his eyes at the comment, letting a small smile cross his face when he caught sight of Juliet's hand clasping Shawn's.

"Dad…" Shawn whined, "You're still glaring!"

"I just can't help but think you wouldn't have been hurt again if they'd been able to catch Drake before this. Or if they'd actually bothered to do their job the first time."

Lassiter shifted uncomfortably at Henry's words and Juliet started to pull her hand away from Shawn. Shawn tightened his grip, refusing to lose contact with her.

"Dad, they saved my life," Shawn said firmly before letting a smirk cross his face. "This time."

"Spencer…" Lassiter growled.

"What?" Shawn replied innocently.

"What happened?" Henry asked his son.

"Drake came back. Apparently he wanted to spend some more quality time with me." He wasn't able to say those words in his usual light, joking manner, and his expression darkened even more with his next words. "Jules got caught in the middle this time. For some stupid reason, she tried to keep Drake's attention," Shawn said, his voice deep with emotion as he shot her a look.

Henry's gaze shot to Juliet's, studying her in surprise.

"Are you okay?" Gus asked quickly.

"I'm fine," She reassured him, barely able to meet Gus' eyes before returning her gaze to Shawn's.

"Then what happened?" Henry asked, looking down at his son.

"Then Lassie saved the day. It was like Underdog all over again." Shawn smiled at Lassiter's groan. "He burst in the door and shot Drake."

"Is he dead?" Henry asked, directing his question to Lassiter.

"Very."

Henry nodded at the detective. His face was so similar to Shawn's when he had nodded to Lassiter earlier that it surprised him, and he almost missed Henry's next words.

"Not bad, Detectives."

Shawn grinned at Lassiter's surprise, and felt his eyelids begin to droop as the rest of his adrenaline wore off and the painkillers swept through his body.

"You didn't do too bad yourself, kid," Henry said softly. Shawn felt Henry grasp his other hand lightly and smiled. He squeezed his father's hand in response and drifted off to sleep.

…

_Two weeks later…_

Lassiter knelt beside the dead body, his attention suddenly shifting as he heard the familiar sound of bickering growing louder. He pushed up from the ground with a groan, turning to his partner as he asked, "Who called them in on this?"

Juliet threw her hands up in defense, "I have no idea. It wasn't me."

"Hey guys! I had a vision about a dead guy and just thought Gus and I should check it out!"

Lassiter cast a critical gaze on the faux-psychic. He was healing well. The bruises were faint; the slowest things to heal were his knife wounds and broken ribs. Lassiter snorted at Gus' mumbled response to Shawn's comment.

"Yeah, if by 'vision' you mean hearing about the dead body over the police scanner."

"Which the spirits told me to turn on."

"If by 'spirits' you mean extreme boredom."

"I can't do this with you right now," Shawn hissed, elbowing the man as he turned back to the detectives. "You'll have to forgive Gus; he gets cranky if he hasn't eaten in the last…oh, thirty minutes?" Shawn looked back at Gus, raising his eyebrows in question.

"Thirty? Try twenty, Shawn. You said we were going to stop for jerked chicken!"

Their bickering continued and Lassiter groaned again, turning to see his partner smiling widely at their antics. He shook his head as he knelt back besides the body, hiding a smile at the familiar routine occurring behind him.

Shawn moved closer to the detectives, his argument with Gus morphing into a few teasing jabs at Gus' inability to get any closer to the body. Shawn winked at Juliet, quickly tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. When he did so, his sleeve rode up and she saw the red band of scars on his wrist. His whole body was crisscrossed with scars, but Juliet didn't care. Each scar was a physical reminder of his bravery. The scars on his wrists, though…those showed just how deeply Shawn cared for her. They both began discussing the case as they slowly knelt besides Lassiter, Juliet subtly supporting Shawn.

Danger had come, friendships had been tested, and lives changed. But the danger was gone now, leaving those friendships even stronger, and Shawn couldn't help the smile that crossed his face as he realized how normal this scene was. He watched the vein on Lassiter's head start to throb at one of his comments and stifled a laugh.

Yes, everything was back to normal.

* * *

AN: I hope you enjoyed the ending to this story. I would love to hear your thoughts on this last chapter. Oh, and do I even need to tell you I have another story in the works? I might just be able to get the first chapter up this evening...


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